Complex a health hazard for residents
Blocked sewerage drains, broken geysers and poor service delivery are some of the issues.
Residents of the Dick Powell Villas are fed up with the Randfontein Municipality and their inability to maintain the plumbing and sewerage systems in the complex.
“We have been living with a blocked sewer drain right next to our unit for almost a year now. The smell is unbearable and is giving me and my children severe headaches,” said Heila van Niekerk, a Dick Powell Villas resident since 2006.
According to various residents of the complex, the sewerage and plumbing problems have escalated in the last couple of years.
“Reporting the issues to the municipality has had no effect,” Pieter van Niekerk said.
“I have phoned the municipality’s Sewage Department at the beginning of January and they promised to send someone out to have a look. There was a worker here the same day but after seeing the extent of the blockage he just left, mumbling something about a supervisor only being back the following week to approve the work to be done.
“Meanwhile children are playing around sewage and dangerous open holes, flies have taken over our houses and people are getting sick from the terrible smell. We can’t even open our windows anymore,” Van Niekerk added.
Residents in the complex have resorted to fixing the issues themselves at their own expense, but were never refunded. One of the residents is an 82-year-old woman who has been struggling with a broken geyser since October last year.
“Workers came into my home, tore up most of my ceiling then left without fixing either the geyser or the hole in the ceiling,” the pensioner who wishes to remain anonymous said.
She also explained to the herald that leaking water pipes around her sink have caused massive water damage – another issue just being swept under the rug, according to her.
The complex was built in 1992 as RDP houses, but the municipality have converted them to normal housing recently and is charging rent for the units.
Lucky Chiya, Municipality spokesperson has been contacted regarding the issue but is yet to reply.
Related articles:
Sewage flood’s resident’s home
Sewage causes stink at cemetery
